-Mr. Seipel Defends Tackle Football Team

Devil Rays Tackle Football Team

by Evans Wallace

After losing the first two games of the 2012 season to the Private School’s Arawaks and Charlotte Amalie High School’s Chicken Hawks, Kean High was determined to win their next game, and they did. The Devil Rays won their first tackle football game against Complex at the Lionel Robert Stadium.

Mr. Peter Seipel, the athletic director at Kean High, always looks for what’s positive about the team. He said, “They did a respectable job, and they made me proud. After giving them an extra six points in the last quarter they did a great job.” Mr. Seipel admitted, “Our first game was an embarrassment from the score and how the players reacted on the field.”

When asked what he thought about the next game, Mr. Seipel remained optimistic. “Their next game will be a better performance, and the players know what will be expected, and I think they will win once they do what they are suppose to do.”

When Kean High lost to Charlotte Amalie High School, on one level it was a very good game because Kean High’s defense was really working together hard. If only the offense could have done the same, Kean High would have won the game against Charlotte, Mr. Seipel said.

After the loss, he said to his players, “This game was a very great game; you all played great tonight, and if you guys had played harder, Kean High tackle football team would have came home with the victory.’’

When asked if the football team gets support, Mr. Seipel said, “Football gets more support than any other sport at Kean High. We do care for them [the players] because after school they get food before they go practice; we --the faculty, and people in the community-- come to their games and cheer for them very hard.”

Maleek in white running very fast

In spite of promises to complete the track and field, Kean High teams have still been practicing on this grubby old field filled with stones. When asked when the football field will be finished, Mr. Seipel replied, “It should be finished by 2013-2014 school year.”

At football games Kean’s fans in the stands sometimes ask if the referees are well qualified, because they think they are cheating. When asked if the refs are fair, Mr. Seipel replied, “They are qualified and well trained for the most part, yes.”

Mr. Seipel feels the coaching staff --coaches Donovon, Drew, Greenaway, Frett, Garfield, Holmes -- does a very good job “They all went to Kean High and played tackle football. Some of them went to college and played college ball. So the coaches are well qualified.”

But with a losing season, there’s always a possibility of changes in the coaching staff, in spite of players’ support. When asked if there a possibility that he will make changes, Mr. Seipel replied, “It all depends on the future.”

Note: Kean football fans are hoping that a recently announced summer training program for rising sophomores and juniors will help the team develop the skills and strength they need for victory in the upcoming season.

Please see related story “Rays’ Football Season Overview” by Shyheim Etienne.